Therapeutic apparatus



y 27, 1941- I K. CONNELL 2,243,695

THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Filed NOV. 15, 1938 2% M if V a;

INVENTOR Karl 6'0 71 n all ATTORNEY s Sheets-Sheet 1 if? A May 1941. CONNELL 2.243,695

THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Filed Nbv. 15, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR Karl 6'01? nell FM v . 4'} 6W v ATTORNEY y 27, 1941- K. CONNELL 2,243,695

THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a if; H wvENTo K ar? 01272611 BY ATTORNEY Patented May 27, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Karl Connell, Branch, N. Y., asslgnor to Air Re duction Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New York Application November 15, 1938, Serial N 0. 240,501 I claims (or. 128-276) vomitus. and operative debris. Mostsuch pro-q cedures, moreover, involve anesthesia or the administration of gas for other therapeutic purpose. Previous to the present .invention various means, such as electric and other power-driven pumps, hand syringes, and the like, have been employed for such purposes. Various of these devices possess one or more of a number of ob-' jectionable features including noisiness, lack of continuity of operation, ineffectiveness for a given purpose, difllculty of operation, and dangers of sparking in an atmosphere carrying inflammable anesthetic gas. In addition, unexpected emergencies often arise in which the use .of a suction device is essential, but where a suitable suction device requires time-consuming preparatory steps before it is brought to the operative scene, installed, assembled, or made ready for use, or often, is entirely unavailable.

With the foregoing and other considerations in view the present invention contemplates the provisionof suction means detachably connected as a part of a mobile unit including a container of precompressed gas, and, in certain of its more specific aspects, the provision of suction means in combination with gas administering means and forming a part of the gas-administering unit, or adapted for use in such combination.

- Units of this character, including a source of precompressed gas, as, for example, anesthetic gas or oxygen enclosed in steel cylinders, is commonly available as a routine matter in surgical operative and various other therapeutic procedures, or can readily, safely, and economically be made available. With a suction device included and operated by the compressed gas, suction of body-fluids may be efiectuated instantly whenever required and in a manner which avoids the various dangers, inconveniences, annoyances,

- and inefiectivenesses involved in various of the prior procedures.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinaiter.

administering unit.

various of its aspects, a suction device may be provided asapart of a. mobile unit including-a container of precompressed gas to which the suction device is detachably connected, and a suction device may be provided as a part of a gas-administering unit, being connected in a conduit arranged to deliver for administration to a patient gas from a source of gas under pressure, such for instance, as highly compressed gas in a steel tank. In accordance with the invention in certain of its aspects, moreover, there-may be provided a suction device adapted to be easily and eilectively inserted into the gas line of a gas- Pursuant to the invention, gas from thesource of compressed gas may be utilized with convenience, efficiency, and safety as the motive agent in an ejector device to create suction.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements; and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims. a 1

It is to be noted that the term "gas" as em-' ployed herein is utilized generically to include mixtures of gases, as well as gases the molecules of which are of similar type.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Figure 1 is a perspective viewof one form of apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail partly-sectional top view of the portion of the apparatus shown at the upper right-hand side of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to" the upper righthand part of Fig. 1, illustratingv another form of apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to the upper right hand part of Fig. 3, further illustrating-the form of apparatus of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view of the fitting arrangement il lustrated in Fig. 4, the relation of certain of the parts being adjusted for the sake of clearer showing; a

Fig. '7 is a sectional view "along the lines 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side view of a,

the invention and Fig. 9 is-an enlarged, partly sectional, view illustrated in Figs. 1,

plified are of the form disclosed in my Patent No. 2,099,841, issued November 23, 1937. These elements includetubing illustrated generally at 1, and expansible reservoir bag ll, flutter-valve uni-ts 9 and |0,and other elements as disclosed in said patent. A connection between the tank and the mask is provided by a portion l2 of the tubing 1, and a branch l3 leads to a bracket |4 carrying a decompression valve l5, to which a channel l5 leads from the tank 6, which is equipped with a valve H. The various elements are carried on or housed in a cabinet l8 mounted in a mobile manner on rollers IS; the bracket |4 being secured at one side of the cabinet.

From the channel l6 there extends a channel 20 in an arm 2| of the bracket, and from the channel 20 there leads a channel 22 extending thru a tube 23 which terminates in a nozzle 24. The channel 20 is adapted to be closed by a valve 25 operated by a handle 26. The valve 24 normally prevents escape of gas from, the channel IE; but, when the valve 25 is open, gas is permitted, under control of the valve 25 and pursuant to the pressure of the gas in the tank, to fiow thru the channel 22 and out of the nozzle 24 for operating the suction means. The nozzle 24 and the portion of the tube 23 adjacent thereto are disposed within a passageway 21 in a tubular member 28. The tubular member 28 is formed to provide a restriction 29 in the passageway 21 at a point just beyond the nozzle 24 in the present instance, so that gas issuing from the nozzle 24 will tend to draw air or other fiuid from that part of the passageway 21 surrounding the tube 23 and force it thru the restriction and thru an ejection channel 30.

Communicating with the passageway 21 is a channel 3| in an arm 32 with a flexible rubber tube 33 at the end of which there is removably secured a member adapted for sucking a bodyfiuid, one form of such member beingshown at 34. In order to receive the discharge from the suction device, thereis provided in accordance with the invention in certain of its more specific aspects, a discharge receptacle carried by the discharge means. In the present instance there is detachably secured over the end of the tube 30 an expansible rubber bag 35 which is adapted to serve as a discharge receptacle or' septic tank. This, as exemplified, is generally similar in form to the reservoir bag' 8, being of accordion shape and formed with thin rubber walls so as to be of flexible capacity. In the present instance, it is provided with a tubular air vent 35' which may be molded integrally therewith.

The bracket H, in the present instance, includes a yoke 35 adapted to embrace the squared neck 31 on the top of the tank 5. The neck 31 is thrust toward the end of the bracket con taining the channel It by means of a screw 38. The neck is formed to provide a channel 39 lead ing from the shut-off valve H to a recess 4| in the left-hand side (Fig. 3) of the neck. Into this recess there projects a nub 42 of the bracket trated schematically in Fig. 2 and which as exem- 55, suitable packing aasaeos H, the channel It opening at the end of the hub. Between the juxtaposed faces 43 and 44 of the bracket l4 and the neck 31, respectively, there is interposed an annular washer 45 which fits over the nub 42, and, when the screw 38 is tight, prevents leakage of gas from within the recess 4|. Thus, when valve 40 is released, gas for anesthesia or other therapeutic purpose will be permitted to fiow thru the channel l5, and, if the decompression valve I5 is open, will fiow thru the branch l3 and to the patient. when the Hector control valve 25 is open, gas under pressure between the valves I5 and I1 will pass thru the channels 2|! and 22 to effect a suction of mucous. blood, or other body-fluid into the tube; this action being under the high pressure of the gas cylinder since in normal use the valve I1 is widely open and the release of pressure thru the decompression valve |5 is negligible. It is to be n ted that this operation can occur whether or not the decompression valve I5 is in operative position or is closed.

In instances wherein it is undesirable or inconvenient to provide a bracket which includes an arm such as 2|, or in instances where it is desired to utilize a bracket which is unequipped with such an arm, there may be utilized apparatus such as exemplified in Figs. 44. This form of apparatus, as exemplified, is similar, with the exceptions noted below, to the form of apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1-3, similar parts being indicated by similar reference numerals with the addition of the subscript a. In this instance, the tank 6a is connected with the cabinet by means of a bracket 50 which is similar to the bracket |4, except that less space is provided between the decompression valve |5a and the yoke 36a; and instead of a washer similar to the washer 45 there is inserted between the face 43a of the bracket 50 and the face 44a of the neck 31a of the tank 5a, a thin annular fitting 5| which is desirably about nine-hundredths of an inch thick, and which forms an end of a metal strip 52. This metal strip is formed with a small longitudinal bore 53 which terminates within the fitting 5| at its lateral opening 54. The opening 54 is made sufiiciently larger than the nub 42a to permit gas-flow from the recess 4|a past the nub and into the bore 53. The other end of the strip 52 is fitted within a recess 54' of a block 55 being provided. The block 55 has a channel 51 communicating with the bore 53 at one end and with the channel 22a at the other end, a valve 250. being provided to control the passage of gas into the channel 22a, and to shut ofi gas-flow when the use of gas for suction is not desired.

The fitting 5| is adapted to be inserted and removed at will. Since the space for adjustment of the neck of the cylinder, such as the necks 31 and 31a, within a holding means such as the yokes 35 and 35a is ordinarily not large (the nubs in common use on most anesthetic apparatus being one-fourth of an inch in diameter and one-fourth of an inch .long) it is desirable to provide, on each side of the fitting 5|, washer means which will not take up undue space. It is also desirable that the fitting be equipped with washer means which will not slip of! when the fitting .is put in place or removed. There is accordingly provided, in accordance with the invention in its more specific aspects, thin fibre washer means disposed on oppos'te sides of the fitting, and consisting, in the present instance, of a fibre sheet 54 which provides an envelope thru the tube 33 and I covering the fitting; the corners of the envelope being secured together, as by staples 59. Each side of the fibre envelope 58 has a hole 60 cut therein so as to permit the loose insertion of the nub 42 therein and to permit gas fiow from the recess lia to the bore 54.

In certain instances a suction device of the general character indicated is desirable for use in situations where gas-administration means are not employed, or, if employed, are not of a character adapted for the provision of a suction device, or are, for some other reason, not to be associated therewith.

With the foregoing in view, there may be provided in accordance with the present invention, in certain of its aspects, a particularly simple form oi! device, one type of which is exemplified in Figs. 8 and 9. In these figures, elements similar to those of the preceding figures are in general indicated by similar reference numerals distinguished by the subscript b. The exemplified construction consists of a mobile unit comprising a tank 6b of precompressed gas. This tank is mounted upon a truck 60 provided in the present instance with wheels 6i and a handle 62. The tank 6b is provided with a valve 'iib, which is adapted to close an opening 63 in the neck 31b of the tank and when open to permit gas from the tank to fiow thru a bore 64 which extends to the end of a projection 85. The outer surface of this end is threaded as indicated at 66 to receive the interiorly threaded end 61 of a connecting portion 68 of the suction device. A bore 69 leads thru the portion 68 from the end of a nub 10 adapted to be pressed within a recess ii in the end of the member 65, a washer 12 being provided to prevent leakage'of gas outwardly thru the threading. The flow of gas thru the bore 69 is controlled by a valve 25b.

. After passing this valve, when it is open, gas

fiows thru a channel 2% and out of a nozzle 24b toward a restricted orifice 29b, and serves to create suction in a passageway 21b from which a channel lib extends to a tube 33b carrying a suction member 341). From the orifice 28b a discharge tube 30b leads to an expansible rubber receptacle 35b. I

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or' shown in the, accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. a

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all 01' the generic and specific features 01' the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope or the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim;

1. Therapeutic apparatus comprising a bodycleansant suction device, a channeled fitting adapted to permit gas-flow therethru and insertabie in the gas line between a source of gas under pressure and a gas-administration means, a fibre envelope on said fitting and formed to serve as a washer and to permit desired gas-flow, and means connecting said fitting with said suction device.

2. In combination a high-pressure source of gas, means to conduct gas from said source, means for utilizing the 'force of gas-flow, a channeled fitting adapted to permit gas-flow therethru and insertable in said conducting means, thin fibre washer means disposed on opposite sides of said fitting and carried thereby and adapted to permit desired gas-flow, and means connecting said fitting and said utilizing means.

KARL CONNELL 

